The game of golf is very challenging but enjoyable by all, if the various skills required for the game can be mastered. One of the most difficult skills to master is that of putting the golf ball. It appears deceptively simple to the casual observer, but in learning the skills needed, more practice, and even more practice often fail to teach most how to come anywhere close to mastering the putting of a golf ball into the golf cup. The speed and the direction that the ball must possess when making a particular putt are each influenced by a variety of conditions of the green. Especially, the degree of slope or curve of the green's surface toward/away from the hole and elevation relative to the juxtaposition of the golf cup or hole effects the adjusted speed and direction to aim the putt, which in turn affects the shape or curve of the ball's route to the golf cup. All too often putts are not alignable by a straight line into the hole. Professional golfers can rely on caddies who nave read and recorded a particular green's slope from practically every direction and distance of approach. But for amateurs who often play without the assistance of a caddie, self training techniques and devices for learning how to read the putting surface of a green can be invaluable. An efficient and simple training device that would enable an average amateur golfer to more readily learn and practice subtle breaks, curves, slopes, and speeds from various distances on a golf green (using little more than visual observation) would represent a significant advancement in the art of golf training and would be well received by all those who endeavor to learn, to teach, and to manage putting in the game of golf on or off golf courses.
Using optical beams, especially lasers, as guiding systems for putting practice are well known in the art. Typically, laser guided golf putting systems use lasers to trace substantially horizontal, straight line paths for the golfer to aim along. They may use external lasers or in some instances lasers embedded within the shaft or head of the putter. Such systems are disclosed in, for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,213,887B1; 5,818,036; 6,579,191; 6,213,887; 6,450,893; 6,695,709; 5,527,041; 6,036,608, and many more. However, as they use substantially horizontal directional beams, they all fail to effectively train putting skills for most putts which are neither flat nor straight line putts. Learning speed control for these curvy breaks is practically impossible. Training to adjust the rolling speeds of putted golf balls to accommodate elevational breaks and slopes or curves of golf greens, without the aid of a caddie, have therefore led to extremely complex methods and devices, as for example those disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 7,028,032 which uses platforms, reference numerals, aim points, etc. A means for employing laser technology to replace and/or negate the need for such complex platforms, etc. in prior art devices would constitute a welcomed advancement in the art of golf putting training.